Conventional can body making machines employ a removable tool pack assembly and a removable stripper assembly which are removably mounted in a forming cavity of the machine. Conventional stripper assemblies comprise an annular ring support structure mounting a plurality of separate circumferentially spaced apart fingers to form a generally circular opening. The fingers are mounted to provide for individual radially inward or outward movement. In some instances the fingers are resiliently urged against the outer surface of the punch during the return stroke so as to contact the leading edge of the can body to disengage it from the punch. In other instances, the fingers are located not to contact the can body on the forward stroke but then are moved to be spaced a very small distance from the outer surface of the punch so that during the return stroke of the punch the fingers contact the leading edge of the can body to disengage it from the punch.